Christmas 1988 - Jean and Les

Our family hadn't been up north to be with Mom and Dad's families for Christmas since 1971. We spent just about every Thanksgiving with them but due to music commitments for church we stayed home for Christmas. In 1988 Grandpa Les was in the hospital for an operation just before Christmas. We went up for Christmas that year to be closer to Grandma Jean and to be available to help while Grandpa was in the hospital. I noted in my journal that being up there for Christmas was "just like Thanksgiving only with ham instead of turkey." In the above photos you see Grandma Jean with Grandpa Les shortly after he came home for Christmas. This was the last Christmas I would spend with them. Jean died in 1991 and Les died in 1992.

Christmas 1992 - Joe and Tree

Christmas 1992 - Pete, Becky and Sam

Sam brought Becky home for Christmas 1992. I think the cat Pete is holding is Benjamin who had been in the family since about 1978. Also, note that the wallpaper, which had been on the wall for so many years, disappears between Christmas 1992 and 1993.

Christmas 1992 - My Tree

I was living in Uptown on Girard Avenue at in the early 1990s. I bought this tree on sale just a few days before Christmas. I've used it just about every year since then up to the time of this writing. Under the tree are a pair of cowboy boots that I got that year.

Christmas 1992 - Pete with the Tree

This is Mom's Christmas tree at the house on Stevens in 1992. Pete, still in high school, is at the top left. It looks to me that he's feeling quite jolly.

Christmas 1992 - Mom

Mom making Christmas Day dinner. Notice Willie, the family dog, in the bottom corner of the picture. He looks very interested in what's going on.

Christmas 1992 - Dad

Here Dad is sitting by the manger scene that he and Mom made together. Dad built the manger and Mom made the figures. Mom started making the figures in the mid-1960s shortly before I was born.